REPORT
On Sunday 25th October 2010 pioneering Taekown-Do Master Willie Lim, 8th degree held a senior Dan black belt grading.

Mr Anslow and Mr Gautam from Rayners Lane Taekwon-Do Academy travelled to Rugby for the grading, where they were to be examined along side black belt members of Hay Harris's TKD Academy.

As I settled down behind the video camera to film it for prosperity the grading started with a short introductory talk by Master Lim, as to what he expected of the candidates. Then it was onto the physical elements  with both junior and senior patterns (chon-ji to Se-Jong) with the three senior grades nervously performing one at a time. Then followed basics, 3 step sparring, 1 step sparring,  pad work, hosinsul, multiple rounds of free sparring, restricted free sparring and destruction (air breaks), as well as each candidate having to break down the applications of a black belt pattern and demonstrate them to Master Lim. As pattern applications are one Master Lim’s area’s of expertise it meant that the ‘’standard’ applications were not going to impress and thus all the candidates had to examine their chosen patterns more in-depth then they have ever been taught which was a challenge in itself, but one they embraced and overcome well.

Once the injuries sustained from the last few hours were sorted (nothing too serious, just some cuts from sparring and a possible broken radius) and the Master Lim had completed his marking, he called all the candidates to him and said he was impressed by the standards displayed. The nicest comment being that he said that all had displayed one of the highest standards of Taekwon-Do he had ever seen in his 19 years of examining at gradings, surely a great accolade for everyone present.

Master Lim presented certificates to all that had passed then spent another hour or so discussing some of the ‘less’ understood movements that are found in Taekwon-Do’s patterns as well as offering various other insights into the art.

Finally the day ended with a meal and some discussions of Taekwon-Do’s history with some great ‘insider info’ from this legendary master.

Congratulations to the following candidates who were promoted as follows:

Mr Hay Harris to 6th Degree
Mr Stuart Anslow to 5th Degree
Mr Dee Harris to 4th Degree
Mr Vikram Gautam to 3rd Degree
Mr Paul Fiddy to 3rd Degree
Mr Martin Addy to 3rd Degree

Master Willie Lim
Dan Grading
3rd to 5th Degree Black Belt Grading
October 2010 Dan Grading